EP3379021A1

EP3379021A1 - Downhole plug and abandonment system

Info

Publication number: EP3379021A1
Application number: EP17162047.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Paul Hazel
Original assignee: Welltec AS
Current assignee: Welltec AS
Priority date: 2017-03-21
Filing date: 2017-03-21
Publication date: 2018-09-26
Also published as: BR112019018406A2; EP3601719A1; RU2019131554A; AU2018240337B2; BR112019018406B1; CN110392768A; US11286768B2; RU2770211C2; US20180274356A1; RU2019131554A3; CA3055674A1; WO2018172314A1; MX2019010501A; AU2018240337A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a downhole plug and abandonment system (100) comprising a well tubular structure (1) having an inside (2) and a wall (3) and being arranged in a borehole (4), a first plug (5) arranged in the well tubular structure for sealing off a lower part (6) of the well tubular structure, a second plug (7) arranged in the well tubular structure at a distance (d) and above the first plug isolating a confined space (8) having a space pressure between the first plug and the second plug, wherein an abandonment device (10) is arranged in the confined space, the abandonment device comprising: a unit (11) configured to increase the space pressure, a sensor (12) configured to measure a temperature and/or a pressure in the confined space, and a device communication module (14) configured to receive an input from the sensor and to communicate signals from the abandonment device. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a downhole plug and abandonment method.

Description

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a downhole plug and abandonment system and to a downhole plug and abandonment method.

Background art

When a well becomes less productive, and all attempts to improve the production of hydrocarbons from a reservoir have failed, the unproductive part of the well, if not the whole well, is plugged and abandoned. The well is often abandoned by setting a cement plug in the casing, and subsequently the volume in the casing above the cement plug is pressurised to verify that the plug is able to withstand pressure and thus to prevent a blowout. However, a blowout is a very high pressure coming from below the plug, but such test circumstance cannot be provided as the volume in the casing below the plug is sealed off and therefore cannot be pressurised, and thus the pressure test from above the plug must thus suffice in the known plug and abandonment systems. However, there is a risk that the cement plug is not made properly and that gaps or non-cemented areas occur. And should such gaps or non-cemented areas occur near the bottom of the plug, this could jeopardise the cement plug when pressure comes from below.

Summary of the invention

It is an object of the present invention to wholly or partly overcome the above disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. More specifically, it is an object to provide an improved plug and abandonment system capable of ensuring that the plug can withstand pressure from a blowout, and thus increase the safety of abandoned wells.
The above objects, together with numerous other objects, advantages and features, which will become evident from the below description, are accomplished by a solution in accordance with the present invention by a downhole plug and abandonment system comprising:

a well tubular structure having an inside and a wall and being arranged in a borehole,
a first plug arranged in the well tubular structure for sealing off a lower part of the well tubular structure,
a second plug arranged in the well tubular structure at a distance and above the first plug isolating a confined space having a space pressure between the first plug and the second plug,

a unit configured to increase the space pressure,
a sensor configured to measure a temperature and/or a pressure in the confined space, and
a device communication module configured to receive an input from the sensor and to communicate signals from the abandonment device.

By having an abandonment device in the confined space under the second plug, the second plug can be pressure tested from below. And thus the second plug can be tested in the circumstance which it is to prevent, namely preventing a blowout, from below the plug. In prior art solutions, the plug is merely tested from above by performing a pressure test by pressurising the inside of the well tubular structure above the plug which is not the same as testing the plug with an increased pressure from below.
The downhole plug and abandonment system according to the present invention may further comprise a downhole tool arranged in the well tubular structure above the second plug, the downhole tool comprising a tool communication module for receiving signals from the abandonment device.
Also, the communication modules may send or receive data or signals by means of electromagnetic radiation or acoustic or mechanical vibrations.
Moreover, the communication module may comprise a transducer.
Furthermore, the transducer may be a piezoelectric element.
In addition, the downhole tool may comprise a tool sensor, such as a pressure sensor and/or a temperature sensor.
Further, the downhole tool may be a wireline tool.
The first plug and the second plug may be arranged in the same well tubular structure.
Also, the downhole tool may be configured to communicate with a control unit at surface.
Additionally, the unit may comprise a heating element for increasing the temperature in the confined space so that the pressure increases.
Such heating element may be a heater.
Furthermore, the unit may comprise a power charge for increasing the temperature in the confined space so that the pressure increases.
Said power charge may be a slow burning charge.
Further, said power charge may be configured to generate a gas pressure and/or heat.
Moreover, the unit may comprise a gas canister having a gas for increasing the pressure in the confined space when the gas is released in the confined space.
Also, the unit may comprise a pump and a fluid reservoir having a fluid.
Furthermore, the unit may comprise an accumulator.
The abandonment device may comprise a power pack such as a battery.
Further, the abandonment device may comprise a timer.
In addition, the abandonment device may comprise a volume determination arrangement configured to measure characteristics of the confined space for determining a volume of the confined space.
The first plug and the second plug may be made of cement.
Moreover, the cement may comprise a plurality of sensor units configured to form a mesh network.
Said mesh network may be a self-healing mesh network.
At least a plurality of the plurality of sensor units may be provided with a detector for detecting cement characteristics of the cement.
Also, the abandonment device may comprise an anchoring arrangement configured to anchor the abandonment device to the wall of the well tubular structure between the first plug and the second plug.
Additionally, the confined space may comprise a fluid.
The present invention also relates to a downhole plug and abandonment method comprising:

arranging a first plug in a well tubular structure for sealing off a lower part of the well tubular structure,
arranging an abandonment device above the first plug,
arranging a second plug in the well tubular structure at a distance and above the first plug isolating a confined space having a space pressure between the first plug and the second plug, the abandonment device being arranged in the confined space,
increasing the pressure in the confined area by means of the abandonment device,
measuring a temperature and/or a pressure of the confined area, and
communicating at least a signal representing the measurement and/or the measurement to above the second plug.

The downhole plug and abandonment method according to the present invention may further comprise arranging a downhole tool above the second plug configured to receive the signal representing the measurement and/or the measurement.
Further, the downhole plug and abandonment method according to the present invention may further comprise receiving the signal representing the measurement and/or the measurement by means of a tool communication module of the downhole tool from the abandonment device by means of a mesh network in the second plug.
The downhole plug and abandonment method according to the present invention may further comprise receiving the signal representing the measurement and/or the measurement by means of a tool communication module of the downhole tool from the abandonment device by means of electromagnetic radiation or acoustic or mechanical vibrations.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention and its many advantages will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, which for the purpose of illustration show some non-limiting embodiments and in which

Fig. 1 shows a partly cross-sectional view of a downhole plug and abandonment system,
Fig. 2 shows a partly cross-sectional view of another downhole plug and abandonment system having a downhole tool,
Fig. 3 shows a partly cross-sectional view of an enlarged part of yet another downhole plug and abandonment system,
Fig. 4 shows a partly cross-sectional view of another downhole plug and abandonment system providing a mesh network, and
Fig. 5 shows a diagram of a sensor unit.

All the figures are highly schematic and not necessarily to scale, and they show only those parts which are necessary in order to elucidate the invention, other parts being omitted or merely suggested.

Detailed description of the invention

Fig. 1 shows a downhole plug and abandonment system 100 comprising a well tubular structure 1 having an inside 2 and a wall 3 and being arranged in a borehole 4 of a well. The downhole plug and abandonment system further comprises a first plug 5 arranged in the well tubular structure for sealing off a lower part 6 of the well tubular structure, and a second plug 7 arranged in the well tubular structure at a distance d and above the first plug isolating a confined space 8 having a space pressure P_s between the first plug and the second plug. An abandonment device 10 is arranged in the confined space, and the abandonment device comprises a unit 11 configured to increase the space pressure, a sensor 12 configured to measure a temperature and/or a pressure in the confined space, and a device communication module 14 configured to receive an input from the sensor and to communicate signals from the abandonment device. By having an abandonment device in the confined space under the second plug, the second plug can be pressure tested from below, and thus the second plug can be tested in the circumstance which it is to prevent, namely preventing a blowout from below the plug.
After the second plug 7 is set, the unit 11 increases the pressure or the temperature (and thereby the pressure), and the sensor 12 measures the pressure and/or the temperature to detect if the confined space 8 maintains the pressure before a natural decrease due to transmission of heat from the confined space to its surroundings over time. In this way, the second plug is pressure tested from below, but the first plug 5 is also tested from above. Once the sensor 12 has detected the pressure or temperature, the communication module sends the measured data to some device above the second plug or just sends a signal as a representation of the measured temperature or pressure.
In Fig. 2, the downhole plug and abandonment system 100 further comprises a downhole tool 15 arranged in the well tubular structure 1 above the second plug 7, and the downhole tool comprises a tool communication module 16 for receiving at least one signal from the abandonment device 10. The signal may be a signal that a pressure increase has occurred in the confined space 8, i.e. that the unit of the abandonment device 10 has increased the pressure. The downhole tool 15 comprises a pressure sensor and/or a temperature sensor 20, and by measuring the pressure or temperature above the second plug 7 during the pressure increase in the confined space, a leak can be detected by the sensor 20 or a significant seal of the plug can be verified by the sensor 20. Thus, the sensor 12 of the abandonment device 10 measures the temperature/pressure of the fluid in the confined space to verify that a pressure increase has occurred, and the communication module 14 communicates to the tool 15 that a pressure increase has occurred. The sensor 20 of the tool 15 measures the temperature/pressure just above the second plug 7 during the time period of the pressure increase in the confined space, and if no temperature/pressure increase is measured by the tool sensor 20, then the first and second plugs provide a seal which is sufficient for abandoning the well or drilling the well in another direction above the second plug.
As can be seen, the downhole tool 15 is a wireline tool, and the verification data or measured data can be communicated to surface or the top of the well through the wireline. The downhole tool is therefore configured to communicate with a control unit (not shown) at surface or at the top of the well. The communication modules may send or receive data or signals by means of electromagnetic radiation or acoustic or mechanical vibrations. In one embodiment, the communication module(s) comprises/comprise a transducer and the transducer may be a piezoelectric element sending and/or receiving mechanical vibrations through the well tubular structure or through its surroundings.
In Fig. 3, the communication module 16 of the downhole tool 15 and the communication module 14 of the abandonment device 10 abut the wall of the well tubular structure and transmit signals there between by means of acoustic or mechanical vibrations.
In Fig. 1, the first plug 5 and the second plug 7 are arranged in the same well tubular structure and the plugs are primarily of cement. In Fig. 4, the cement comprises sensor units 31 providing a mesh network 30 (indicated by the arrows), which may be a self-healing mesh network. In this way, the downhole tool and the abandonment device 10 are able to communicate "through" the cement via the sensor units 31 of the mesh network 30.
In order to increase the pressure in the confined space 8, the unit comprises a heating element 17, as shown in Fig. 1, for increasing the temperature in the confined space and thus increasing the pressure. The heating element may be a heater, such as an electrical heating element. In Fig. 2, the unit comprises a power charge 18 for increasing the temperature in the confined space 8 and thus increasing the pressure in the confined space. The power charge also increases the pressure as the solid is transformed into gas. The power charge may be a slow burning charge or similar charge providing a combustion reaction. The power charge may be a composition which when mixed provides a chemical reaction or decomposition. The power charge may thus be configured to generate a gas pressure and/or heat. In Fig. 4, the unit comprises a gas canister 19 having a gas for increasing the pressure in the confined space when the gas is released in the confined space. As can be seen in Fig. 3, the unit comprises a pump 23 and a motor 24 for driving the pump. The unit further comprises a fluid reservoir 25 having a fluid, e.g. an accumulator. In order to power the unit and other parts of the abandonment device, the abandonment device comprises a power pack 26, such as a battery. The abandonment device 10 may also comprise a timer 27, as shown in Fig. 4, so that the abandonment device does not need a signal to activate the unit to increase the pressure in the confined space but instead is activated after a certain elapsed time controlled by the timer.
In Fig. 4, the abandonment device 10 comprises a volume determination arrangement 22 configured to measure characteristics of the confined space 8 for determining a volume of the confined space. If the plugs are set in a more imprecise manner, the volume determination arrangement 22 is used to determine the volume of the confined space which may be used to give a more precise determination of the pressure in the confined space during the increase of the pressure.
Each sensor unit 31 is positioned arbitrarily in the flowable cement during the making of the plugs, and the distribution of sensor units 31 is thus random, though distributed into the cement in an evenly manner so that the sensor units 31 are more or less evenly distributed in the flowable cement, as shown in Fig. 4. It should be noted that only some of the sensor units 31 have been assigned the reference numeral "31" in Fig. 4; however, all circular elements shown in this figure represents a sensor unit 31.
As will be explained in the following, this is realised by configuring the sensor units 31 to establish a physically distributed independent and localised sensing network, preferably with peer-to-peer communication architecture. As will be understood from the following description, the mesh network being established by the sensor units 31 as a self-healing mesh network will automatically provide for a reliable and self-healing data path even though at least some of the sensor units 31 are out of range from the final destination, i.e. the data collection provided at the surface level. All sensor units 31 are preferably identical, although provided with a unique ID. As shown in Fig. 5, each sensor unit 31 is provided with a number of components configured to provide various functionality to the sensor unit 31. Each sensor unit 31 includes a power supply 41, a digital processing unit 42, a transceiver 43, a transducer 44, and optionally a sensor module 45 comprising additional sensors. The sensor module 45 may e.g. comprise a temperature sensor and/or a pressure sensor. The transducer 44, together with the digital processing unit 42, form a detector 46 for determining cement characteristics. In particular, the cement characteristics include acoustic impedance, whereby it is possible to determine the cement integrity by analysing the acoustic impedance and thus determine if the cement plug is performed in a satisfactory manner without any pockets without cement. The detector 46 can for example be used together with the digital processing unit 42 to form a detecting unit for determining position data of the sensor unit 31.
The power supply 41 is configured to supply power to the other components 42-45 of the sensor unit 31, either by means of an internal power storage, such as one or more batteries, or by converting energy of the surrounding cement to electrical energy. The digital processing unit 42 comprises a signal conditioning module 47, a data processing module 48, a data storage module 49 and a micro controller 50. The digital processing unit 42 is configured to control operation of the entire sensor unit 31, as well as temporarily storing sensed data in the memory of the data storage module 49. The transceiver 43 is configured to provide wireless communcation with transceivers of adjacent sensor units 31. For this, the transceiver 43 comprises a radio communication module and an antenna. The radio communication module may be configured to communicate according to well-established radio protocols, e.g. IEEE 801.1aq (Shortest Path Bridging), IEEE 802.15.4 (ZigBee) etc. The transducer 44 is configured to transmit and receive sonar signals/pulses in order to determine characteristics of the surrounding cement.
In Fig. 4, the abandonment device 10 comprises an anchoring arrangement 21 configured to anchor the abandonment device 10 to the wall of the well tubular structure 1 between the first plug 5 and the second plug 7. The anchoring arrangement may have any kind of configuration capable of anchoring the abandonment device 10.
The present invention also relates to a downhole plug and abandonment method. According to this method, a first plug 5 is arranged in a well tubular structure 1 for sealing off a lower part 6 of the well tubular structure 1. Then an abandonment device 10 is arranged above the first plug, and a second plug 7 is arranged in the well tubular structure at a distance and above the first plug isolating a confined space 8 having a space pressure between the first plug and the second plug, the abandonment device being arranged in the confined space. Subsequently, the pressure in the confined area is increased by means of the abandonment device, and a temperature and/or a pressure of the confined area are/is measured. At least a signal representing the measurement and/or the measurement is communicated to above the second plug.
Furthermore, in the downhole plug and abandonment method, a downhole tool 15 may be arranged above the second plug 7 configured to receive the signal representing the measurement and/or the measurement. Moreover, the signal representing the measurement and/or the measurement is received by means of a tool communication module 16 of the downhole tool from the abandonment device by means of a mesh network in the second plug. Further in this method, the signal representing the measurement and/or the measurement may be received by means of a tool communication module of the downhole tool from the abandonment device 10 by means of electromagnetic radiation or acoustic or mechanical vibrations.
By fluid or well fluid is meant any kind of fluid that may be present in oil or gas wells downhole, such as natural gas, oil, oil mud, crude oil, water, etc. By gas is meant any kind of gas composition present in a well, completion, or open hole, and by oil is meant any kind of oil composition, such as crude oil, an oil-containing fluid, etc. Gas, oil, and water fluids may thus all comprise other elements or substances than gas, oil, and/or water, respectively.
By a casing or well tubular structure is meant any kind of pipe, tubing, tubular, liner, string etc. used downhole in relation to oil or natural gas production.
In the event that the tool is not submergible all the way into the casing, a downhole tractor can be used to push the tool all the way into position in the well. The downhole tractor may have projectable arms having wheels, wherein the wheels contact the inner surface of the casing for propelling the tractor and the tool forward in the casing. A downhole tractor is any kind of driving tool capable of pushing or pulling tools in a well downhole, such as a Well Tractor®.
Although the invention has been described in the above in connection with preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be evident for a person skilled in the art that several modifications are conceivable without departing from the invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims

A downhole plug and abandonment system (100) comprising:
- a well tubular structure (1) having an inside (2) and a wall (3) and being arranged in a borehole (4),

- a first plug (5) arranged in the well tubular structure for sealing off a lower part (6) of the well tubular structure,

- a second plug (7) arranged in the well tubular structure at a distance (d) and above the first plug isolating a confined space (8) having a space pressure (P_s) between the first plug and the second plug,
wherein an abandonment device (10) is arranged in the confined space, the abandonment device comprising:
- a unit (11) configured to increase the space pressure,

- a sensor (12) configured to measure a temperature and/or a pressure in the confined space, and

- a device communication module (14) configured to receive an input from the sensor and to communicate signals from the abandonment device.
A downhole plug and abandonment system according to claim 1, further comprising a downhole tool (15) arranged in the well tubular structure above the second plug, the downhole tool comprising a tool communication module (16) for receiving signals from the abandonment device.
A downhole plug and abandonment system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the downhole tool comprises a tool sensor (20), such as a pressure sensor and/or a temperature sensor.
A downhole plug and abandonment system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the unit comprises a heating element (17).
A downhole plug and abandonment system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the unit comprises a power charge (18).
A downhole plug and abandonment system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the unit comprises a gas canister (19) having a gas.
A downhole plug and abandonment system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the abandonment device comprises a volume determination arrangement configured to measure characteristics of the confined space for determining a volume of the confined space.
A downhole plug and abandonment system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first plug and the second plug are made of cement.
A downhole plug and abandonment system according to claim 8, wherein the cement comprises a plurality of sensor units (31) configured to form a mesh network (30).
A downhole plug and abandonment system according to claim 9, wherein at least a plurality of the plurality of sensor units are provided with a detector (46) for detecting cement characteristics of the cement.
A downhole plug and abandonment system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the abandonment device comprises an anchoring arrangement (21) configured to anchor the abandonment device to the wall of the well tubular structure between the first plug and the second plug.
A downhole plug and abandonment method comprising:
- arranging a first plug (5) in a well tubular structure (1) for sealing off a lower part (6) of the well tubular structure,

- arranging an abandonment device (10) above the first plug,

- arranging a second plug (7) in the well tubular structure at a distance (d) and above the first plug isolating a confined space (8) having a space pressure (P_s) between the first plug and the second plug, the abandonment device being arranged in the confined space,

- increasing the pressure in the confined area by means of the abandonment device,

- measuring a temperature and/or a pressure of the confined area, and

- communicating at least a signal representing the measurement and/or the measurement to above the second plug.
A downhole plug and abandonment method according to claim 12, further comprising:
- arranging a downhole tool above the second plug configured to receive the signal representing the measurement and/or the measurement.
A downhole plug and abandonment method according to claim 12 or 13, further comprising:
- receiving the signal representing the measurement and/or the measurement by means of a tool communication module of the downhole tool from the abandonment device by means of a mesh network in the second plug.
A downhole plug and abandonment method according to claim 12 or 13, further comprising receiving the signal representing the measurement and/or the measurement by means of a tool communication module of the downhole tool from the abandonment device by means of electromagnetic radiation or acoustic or mechanical vibrations.